Arsenal are in dire need of this 28-year-old Montenegrin international to shore up their vulnerable defence – Here is why

Stefan Savic would be a wonderful signing for Arsenal next summer

Arsenal have endured a campaign full of highs and lows in what has been a less than spectacular first season under Unai Emery so far. The Gunners strung together an unbeaten run of 22 games across all competitions following a poor start but they have blown hot and cold once again since the turn of the year.

On the whole, it would be unfair to say that Emery has done a bad job as the manager in his first season at the manager. Arsenal are still very much in the race for a top-four finish and if they manage to secure a Champions League spot at the end of the season, it would be seen as a successful campaign for the Gunners.

However, things would have been a lot better had everything gone according to the script for Arsenal. As much as they have promised in the attacking third this term, the Gunners have looked vulnerable at the back. In fact, Arsenal have the worst defensive record in the top six in the Premier League, having already conceded 37 goals so far.

Recurrent injuries to several of the key players at the back have been one of the major causes of Arsenal’s undoing this season, with the likes of Laurent Koscielny, Sokratis, Hector Bellerin, Nacho Monreal, Konstantinos Mavropanos and Rob Holding all spending time on the sidelines. To sum it up, Arsenal need to reshape their options at the back ahead of the upcoming season.

The Gunners should not hesitate to offload the struggling Shkodran Mustafi and invest in a new centre-back next summer. To be more precise, they should make a move for former Manchester City flop Stefan Savic.

Well, Stefan Savic no longer deserves to be labelled as a flop. The 28-year-old has come a long way since his disastrous spell at the Etihad and has gone on to establish himself as one of the elite centre-backs in Europe.

Savic struggled to cope with the dynamic nature of the Premier League back in his earlier days but he has won plenty of laurels with Fiorentina and Atletico Madrid. The 28-year-old won the Europa League and was a part of the Atletico side that finished runners up in the Champions League. The Montenegrin international has been one of the mainstays of Atletico’s backline for the last few years, racking up 127 appearances across all competitions.

Standing at 6ft. 2 inches with a slender build, Savic is known for his aerial ability and astute sense of positioning as a centre-back. His height gives him an obvious advantage over most of his offensive counterparts inside the penalty area, making him a genuine threat from set-pieces.

Savic is not particularly fast and agile, neither is he good at keeping the opposition at bay with his tackling. Known for his game reading ability and positional awareness, the 28-year-old likes to stay on his feet to make interceptions, often clearing the ball away from the back. Furthermore, he is comfortable on the ball and excels with his ability to play out from the back.

Still only 28, Savic has substantial time remaining in his prime and Arsenal would definitely strike gold by making a move for the Montenegrin international next summer in a bid to add solidity and experience to their backline.

This 22-year-old Arsenal target from last summer would be absolutely ideal for Emery to replace Aaron Ramsey

Arsenal Opinion: Why the Gunners should go all out to sign Djibril Sow?

Back in April 2018, a report from the
Daily Mirror claimed Arsenal were tracking Young Boys midfield ace Djibril
Sow.

Young Boys signed Djibril Sow from Borussia Monchengladbach in the summer of 2017 and he is coming of age in Switzerland, winning the Swiss Super League in his debut season itself.

The 22-year-old has grown leaps and bounds in the last two years and played in all six of Young Boys’ Champions League group-stage games this season.

Now that the Sow has enjoyed another solid season in the Swiss Super League, Arsenal should definitely reignite their interest in the midfielder and sign him this summer.

Aaron Ramsey, Arsenal’s current longest-serving player, will end his time with the Gunners at the end of the season to join Italian giants Juventus. The Welshman remains one of Arsenal’s most talented stars and still plays a key role in Unai Emery’s first team.

He might have divided opinion amongst the fans since joining the north Londoners but his commitment and ability to deliver headline moments have rarely been in question.

Down the years, Ramsey has been the one to provide the Gunners with impetus and drive from the midfield that has proven so crucial in big games.

The Welshman has been a committed player ever since arriving at the Emirates Stadium from Cardiff City and his departure this summer would leave a big hope which Emery needs to address ahead of the new season.

Djibril Sow could be that player for Arsenal, although he won’t be a like-for-like Ramsey replacement. Sow is a versatile player, adept at playing in different positions across the midfield. His skill-set is rather unique in itself and when coupled with his energy and ability to break attacks, the Swiss becomes incredibly hard to come up against.

The 22-year-old boasts a wide passing range and can link up
play quite brilliantly from the middle of the park. He is also physically
strong which helps him protect the ball and make lung-busting runs from
midfield. Sow has a lethal right foot that is capable of delivering
screamers, although he isn’t exactly known for his goal-scoring prowess.

Verdict

The acquisition of Sow will undoubtedly bolster Emery’s midfield options at the Emirates. Arsenal already have some promising midfield talents in their ranks such as Lucas Torreira, Mateo Guendouzi, Grant Xhaka and Mohamed Elneny all vying for a place in Emery’s first-team.

The addition of Sow will add
more competition for places within the Arsenal squad which could help them cope
with injuries and suspensions better next season. Hence, it seems like the
young Swiss could be a smart addition who’ll add some much-needed squad depth
for Emery’s side to compete for the title next season.

Arsenal should leave no stone unturned in signing this 24-year-old trickster to solve right-wing conundrum

Arsenal FC Opinion: Emery should move for Brighton’s Solly March

According to TEAMtalk, Arsenal are interested in signing Solly March in the summer, with reports claiming that the 24-year-old Brighton and Hove Albion winger has impressed the scouts with his consistent displays over the course of the season.

March has been in terrific form for the Seagulls after penning a contract extension at the Amex last summer, accumulating a goal and 5 assists from 28 appearances in the Premier League this season.

The former England U21 international has emerged as one of Chris Hughton’s trusted lieutenants in the midfield, with the manager deploying the player on either flank and also through the centre in an attacking midfield role.

March scored Brighton’s late equaliser against Millwall in the quarterfinals of the FA Cup last week and also netted from in the shootout to help the Seagulls make it to the last four.

A youth product of non-league club Lewes, March joined Brighton at the youth level in 2011 and made his senior bow in the Championship in the 2013-14 season. Since then, he has proven himself to be an excellent servant to the club, registering 11 goals and 17 assists from 155 appearances across all competitions.

Essentially a left-winger by trade, March is a tactically-versatile attacker who is capable of playing on either flank and through the centre in a No.10 role.

Blessed with a sound technique and a sweet left foot, March is known for his pace, sharpness, agility and dribbling, whilst also possessing appreciable game-reading abilities and awareness.

To go with his obvious flair and trickery on the ball, March often gets the perfect weight and elevation on his crosses to create chances from the wide areas.

The Englishman also has a keen eye for a pass, makes surging runs into the penalty area and always looks to put his left foot through the ball from outside the box.

March has also made an impact at Brighton with his defensive contribution, high levels of energy and uncompromised work-rate, often chipping in with tackles and interceptions to help out the full-backs. He keeps patrolling up and down the pitch and never runs out of steam.

To put things into perspective, the Arsenal fans might not be over the moon on hearing the news of the club’s links with Solly March but the versatile and energetic winger might turn out to be an important squad player at the Emirates.

The Gunners need to invest in the summer to bolster their wide options and they are probably not going to make Denis Suarez’s stay permanent, with the Spaniard struggling to cope with the physical nature of the Premier League.

Henrikh Mkhitaryan has blown hot and cold down the right, and while Unai Emery has Alex Iwobi as an option down the left, someone like March can add to squad depth and also increase competition for places in the first team.

Antonio Valencia would be better off exiting Man United and joining any of these 3 PL clubs instead – Here is why

Premier League Opinion: 3 summer destinations for Antonio Valencia

Manchester United have always paid keen attention to the transfer market and have a fairly dependable record of landing the players that they target. One such success story from the days of Sir Alex Ferguson was former Villarreal man Antonio Valencia.

The Ecuador international was brought in from Wigan as an alternative for the outgoing Cristiano Ronaldo, who made his switch to Real Madrid in the same window. But considering the heights that Ronaldo reached from there, Valencia replacing him effectively was instantly ruled out.

Now 33, his contributions over the years have been unquestionable and he remains the captain of the club even though his opportunities in the league this season have been few and far between.

With just 5 Premier League games under his belt this season, it would be no surprise to see him look for a move away.

Reports arising from Sky Sports are suggesting that the Ecuadorean full-back is nearing his final months at Manchester United as his agent has confirmed that he will not be staying at the club beyond the end of the season when his current contract expires.

Here are 3 clubs who could benefit from signing the
veteran in the upcoming summer window:

Southampton

The departure of Cedric Soares to Inter Milan earlier this season has hit the Saints team quite hard. Despite young Yan Valery’s resurgence in recent weeks, the addition of an experienced head will only aid Ralph Hasenhuttl’s cause.

Cedric Soares

Antonio Valencia still has quite a bit to offer in an
attacking sense and considering that Valery is still a teenager, bringing the
Ecuadorean in could prove to be brilliant as he can compete with the youngster
for the starting spot while also mentoring him for the years ahead.

West Ham

Ryan Fredericks’ Hammers career has been hindered with
injuries and while their move for Pablo Zabaleta last season was seen as a
blunder, it actually worked charms for them as his experience really showed in
their overall play down the right.

Pablo Zabaleta

With Zabaleta now seemingly running out of steam,
Valencia could be a good option to replace the Argentine as the Ecuadorean
still has the stamina and physical capabilities to perform at the top level for
Manuel Pellegrini’s side.

Arsenal

Despite the fact that this move is probably a long shot, Arsenal are one of the clubs in the Premier League who desperately need a massive overhaul in defence as individual mistakes and the injury to Hector Bellerin have hit them quite hard this season.

With the defensively unreliable Stephan Lichsteiner
and Carl Jenkinson as the only alternatives, it is essential for Emery to bring
in a replacement and a short term solution could be to move for Valencia who,
despite his age, is still far superior to the aforementioned alternatives in
terms of footballing quality.